The transiting Moon in the Scorpion’s sign adds depth to the atmosphere, so that those who are comfortable with emotion and with the way things are, are most ‘at home’ in the world right now; everyone else, the thinkers and doers and those ready for change may feel they’re moving through mud (or is it quicksand?) Just something to keep in mind during Luna’s journey–and of course this is the sign that holds part of the ancient Via Combusta (‘The Burning Way’). The Moon sited between 15 Libra and 15 Scorpio (Tropical) was considered a malefic placement in Horary, and some Horary Astrologers still use this in delineation. The reputation for this area may derive from fixed stars found there in ancient times, or from the way the Sun and Moon do not flourish in signs associated with the traditional malefics Saturn –Libra–and Mars–Scorpio. You may ask, does this area hold negative implications for natal placements found there? The answer is, no.

Juno at the midpoint of Mercury-Zeus 14 October

Obscure, I know, but an interesting set of contacts, especially when we note that Juno is also sesquiquadrate Sedna. Mind games may be the order of the day, not with others, but with ourselves! There will be a scratching, scrabbling, underlying need to feel empowered that could permeate thinking and communications, and be driven by desires, ambitions, instincts, and those matters in our ‘blind spot’ (issues that we carry that are plain as day to everyone else, but of which we remain blithely unaware!) This means we may be very vulnerable today, and possibly not even know we are (this could last through the 18th)–and that suggests hypersensitivity springing from what we’re not conscious of, from what we have hidden even from ourselves (or most especially from ourselves, that everyone else sees). Communicate with care, and realize that what we want may be exerting a much stronger influence on how we deal with others than we are aware–and that true cooperation will flourish only when we have as much regard for others’ wants and needs as we have for our own.

On Asking Horary Questions

When we ask about some matter using astrology, we need to understand that astrology can lay out the possibilities, but can’t be anymore definite about the outcome than we are at the moment of asking. By that I mean, if we are examining several alternatives through a horary question for the feasibility of each potential choice, we can only expect some generalities to show themselves, an outline of potentials, rather than a full-color, detailed portrait of guaranteed outcomes. It’s the difference between saying, “I’m hungry; where shall we go eat?” and so considering several potential places, and saying “I’m hungry; I’ll go to Fred’s and have the Chili-Cheese Conquistador for one!” With the first we haven’t decided anything but that we have a need and will consider alternatives–we wouldn’t reasonably expect to know the quality of the meal or the service, and anything that might happen there, at this stage; with the second we recognize the need and commit ourselves in a particular direction, from which we can extrapolate what the experience may be like, indigestion and all–and so with astrology, the first approach will tell us a little something about the experience we can expect with each restaurant, while the second will be much more specific, telling us what to expect with that particular meal experience at that place at this time.

This is something I’ve encountered many times working with querents (those asking the question): there is an expectation that astrology will not just tell them what to do, but will promise the success of a particular choice or venture. There is a kind of passive attitude that says astrology will give a definitive answer that not only makes the choice for them, but that also guarantees everything will develop along what they consider optimal lines. It just doesn’t work like that.

First, astrology does not tell us what to do: it shows us the probable circumstances resulting from a choice–and second, it doesn’t necessarily comment on the results, unless the choice itself brings immediate results. We can’t sit in the back seat and say, “I’ll climb into the front and turn left at the next crossroads, but only if the car will then turn into a Maserati and I’m guaranteed to arrive safely at my destination with a magically appearing pile of money in the trunk!” In this case, the querent is looking for a promise that taking responsibility and making a choice will insure that things go perfectly–beyond perfectly, really, to a kind of magical reward outcome–but a question can only address the next step, and the ripples this might cause, with potential ripples to the step after that moving out in ever-widening circles, and so being impossible to determine at the current, first-step point.

One more example: we ask, “Will my house sell by June?”, in one instance having it already listed for sale, and asking the same before having listed it. How could it possibly sell by June, or at all, if you haven’t taken the step of first listing it? The assumption that we can leap over necessary steps to find the ultimate outcome is detrimental to the asking process in that one then approaches the entire matter with the idea that no energy will be expended in a direction unless that direction is guaranteed to pan out positively–and yet, consider how many times something that didn’t work out sent you in a different direction, and so sparked a later success.

That old saying about a journey beginning with a single step truly applies to asking questions in horary astrology. It’s the next step we see in the chart, and as with everything in life, there are just no guarantees about how it will all come out.

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6 thoughts on “On Horary Questions, Juno, and the Moon in Scorpio”

astrology can teach you about a little thing called faith i think,
hey why is saturn square neptune so confusing – the articles go from dreams come true to total chipping away self confidence. Perhaps you might comment on that sometime.. goes on for about a year? is this more fubar?

You know my thinking, guru: how an aspect fits in to your natal scenario is the most important thing. Transiting to transiting aspects may or may not have great meaning for the individual. I think this square can run the spectrum, from dreams fulfilled to inhibition of creativity (which would certainly upset the confidence of creative types!)–and let’s not forget the way it may obscure the reality picture.

I’m a fan of the Moon in Scorpio. It feels like home-base territory, when I’m most able to ‘come back to myself’ and clear accumulated cruft, and it’s generally a very welcome time of recalibration. I’m always sad to see it go, until I realize once again it not going would be ridiculous and dysfunctional and we would need one hell of a pair of intergalactic jumper cables.

How significant do you find the Via Combusta to be?

Hi Zack, the Via Combusta is only used in Horary, and only by some astrologers. I haven’t found it to be significant at all, but I’m always keeping an eye out for it in a Horary chart, in case at some point it shows relevance.

Willow at willowsweb certainly considers the Via Combusta pertinent to natal chart interpretations. I am not an astrologer so I cannot assess the validity of such, but, as that stretch in my natal chart contains all three Liliths, Neptune, Venus, Saturn and Ceres, I do relate to much of what she says. I tend toward the Koiner method of determining these things by observations of effect – or not – on my natal chart. One thing I do know for sure is tr Moon in Scorpio is NOT among my favourites ;P

Though observation of our own chart is certainly a good place to start, to draw conclusions from only that would give us a very lopsided view of astrology. The affects attributed to the Via Combusta in Horary are very similar to more negative Scorpio qualities–so it’s not surprising you see a correlation.